By the Morning Star
by La Temperanza
Summary: And while he sat on the floor of an airport that contained someone who wanted him dead, covered in shards of glass, he couldn't help but let out a laugh. "Well then, Hitomi, tell me how does it feel to save the life of a prince?" AU, Van/Hitomi
1. Chapter 1

**I**

Even as the plane finally touched down jarring her from her jet lag induced sleep, Hitomi debated if she had made the right decision. After all, most people given the chance to study abroad tended to tour popular places like Europe or South America, or even return to where their family originated from. As it was so many of her friends had decided to pick Japan she wondered if she should as well in order to have familiar faces around her. All except Yukari's, she mentally amended, smiling softly as she remembered her friend's announcement to travel to England, something that came as a shock to no one.

So why was Hitomi passing up these obvious choices and picking a country the rest of the world had hardly ever heard of?

Even before she asked the question she knew the answer; she reached up to her chest to grasp the pendant that hung around her neck, a motion she often did when lost in thought. She had made a promise, both to herself and to her grandmother, even if the older woman wasn't physically around anymore to see it fulfilled.

As the rest of the passengers stared to gather their luggage and file off the plane, Hitomi took a deep breath, once again telling herself that she did indeed make the right decision, whether she found out the truth or not.

* * *

_Ring ring ring._

Honestly, that was the tenth time the damned cell phone had rang in the past fifteen minutes, once again making Van regret ever being talked into getting one in the first place. He personally found them annoying and over-extravagant; they were relied on too much in his opinion, seemingly permanently glued to the heads of their owners. And something bothered him about wanting to be on the phone with someone else instead of enjoying the company and scenery around you.

But besides the fact he would be labeled as 'behind-the-times' by his critics (he saw nothing wrong with being old-fashioned but hated it being used against him), the council said it would promise him more freedom. He snorted derisively at the mere notion; 'freedom' they called it, when before he would only have someone chewing his ear off about trivial matters during the day and when he was at home. But now he seemed to have them calling everywhere he went all of twenty-four hours.

Still he supposed he had the option of ignoring the calls, which he had been _trying_ to do all this time. But he had to give in to their persistence. With a loud sigh he finally answered the blasted thing, pinching the bridge of his nose as he did so. "What is it now?"

"You know, if you actually answered the phone most of the time, they wouldn't call you as frantically all the time," a deep familiar voice chuckled into his ear. Van's eyes widened a little in surprise that it was his own brother calling him, but he quickly recovered with a smug smirk forming on his face. "I really doubt that Folken. I'm also tempted to turn this damn thing off; why the hell do they keep bothering me instead of pestering you?"

Folken laughed heartily again, making Van wonder how he could stay so calm when dealing with such annoyances. Or maybe he just liked seeing his younger brother suffer. "What makes you think they're not buzzing around me as well?" As to prove his point (a little too conveniently), Folken's voice was muffled as he presumably moved his mouth away from the phone to answer a nearby aide. "_No, I don't believe so. Yes. Well…let me finish this phone call and I promise you my full attention…_Van, are you still there? Anyways, as I was saying, as much as you hate it, keep your phone on. You know it's important for someone to always have contact with you, not to mention a safety reason."

"Safety reason?" Van scoffed, rolling his eyes in disbelief. "From what? Balgus is with me all the damn time." He glanced back at his bodyguard, who was supposed to be blending in with the crowd, but looked as inconspicuous as a bull in a china shop. "I don't know why I need all this."

"Listen Van," Folken replied, his voice taking a serious edge to it, "like it or not, your position means you just have to deal with a few…inconveniences. And fighting against them is just going to make it harder on you. Please try to remember that…I need to deal with this latest issue, but do try to remember to answer your phone more often!"

Van heard Folken start to discuss something with the seemingly impatient adviser next to him before there was the audible click of the phone being placed in the cradle. There was no need for him to get sentimental from the lack of goodbye. Instead, Van frowned at the fact that his brother was getting bothered by the council members as well, probably even more so. It shed some light on how lucky he was that it had been Folken who was the first born son.

* * *

Ugh, Hitomi really didn't remember packing this much; she had tried to pack as light as she possibly could, but she was supposed to be staying there for three months after all. She had thought it would be the perfect idea to pack all her checked luggage into one large suitcase instead of multiple smaller ones, but as she lugged it off the conveyor belt she cursed her poor planning. At least she had the foresight to get one with wheels, but even rolling it behind her was a chore.

Even though the place still had the feel and functionality of an airport, she couldn't help but stare with mouth agape as she walked along. The building itself was relatively new, but the architecture style had to be hundreds of years old, incorporating the region's Mediterranean ambiance with a modern twist.

If it wasn't for the fear of not wanting to stand out like a tourist more than she already was (and the fact that her camera was buried in the recesses of her carry-on bag), Hitomi would be taking pictures of the breathtaking surroundings. She was amazed on how the other passengers could rush by so nonchalantly and ignore such beauty, guessing they must be used to it by now. Or completely exhausted from their flights.

Speaking of which, she needed to hurry and find where the rental car pickup was located at, still having a good drive ahead of her before she reached where she needed to be. Filing behind the crowd of others already on the escalator, she sighed in relief for having a break from pulling her suitcase for a few minutes, her arm already growing sore.

As she headed down, she took the time to look around some more, so eager to soak in more of this culture that was relatively unknown to her. There were so many types of people here, many in ethnic dress characteristic for the area. She almost felt dowdy in her well worn but comfortable tracksuit she had changed into before her flight.

Glancing down into the gathering of people below her, one person stood out for some reason; a man around her age, pacing the floor and looking exasperated as he talked on his cell phone. He was dressed in a way that suggested he had just walked off the cover of a fashion magazine; a cream business suit and striking red tie that went well with his dark complexion. She was idly curious if he was a local celebrity or wealthy business owner. Judging by his looks, she couldn't help but laugh to herself; in her mind, it just went to show that money and fame couldn't always buy you happiness all the time.

Suddenly, she got one of those unusual feelings her friends and family joked she was known for, one that caused all the hair on the back of her neck to stand up on edge. Her gaze shifted upwards to the walkway above the food and shopping court; despite it being a busy time of day, the overhang was empty-wait... no. It was minimal, but Hitomi spotted some rustling among the potted trees that lined the edge, and the outline of a person whose features were blocked out by the foliage. She frowned in confusion, wondering why just the lone figure was up there and what they could possibly be doing.

That's when she saw it. While her only knowledge had been gathered from movies, she could definitely tell that was the barrel of a rifle now poking out of the foliage.

And it was aimed directly at the man below.

* * *

Of course that was one problem with not taking the 'star' treatment while traveling; Van's plane had landed nearly an hour ago, and he still had yet to receive his luggage. When discussing the matter with an apologetic clerk, it seemed like a mix-up had happened where his things had been placed on the departing flight after his. Even if he tried to use his position (which he would never dream of doing), there was no way to get the plane to arrive faster.

And so he had been waiting, or more of pacing, constantly checking his watch for the time. Normally he would just have his bags couriered to him later, but he had made the mistake of packing important information in his suitcase that he needed to review sooner than later. Even if it meant he had to stay in the airport longer than he intended.

After he had gotten off the phone with Folken, it struck him on how monotonous the situation was becoming, so much so he debated calling his brother back to stave off the boredom. He even started to turn towards Balgus in hopes of stirring up some form of conversation with the usually quiet older man.

"Hey, look out!"

Well, that certainly got his attention; he turned sharply towards the source of the shouting to see a young woman (he was guessing, but it was hard to tell with that short haircut) dash down the escalator like a bat out of hell. Her massive suitcase tumbled after her, nearly knocking others down, and at first her thought it had just become unruly and she had lost control of it.

But just as he began to find some morbid amusement at this, he realized the woman didn't seem to care about it at all. In fact, after jumping the last few steps she kept running, and it dawned on him a little too late that it was in his direction. "…What the hell are y-"

THUD! Her body hit him with such force that it knocked him completely over, his whole self hitting the hard ground painfully. Not even a second later a gunshot rang out, and the glass of the window behind him shattered into tiny fragments all over him.

Immediately there was yelling and commotion, but it all seemed far away and slowed down, his only focus on the woman now lying on tip of him. Her hot heavy breathing rushed against his ear, and her heart was beating so fast he could feel it hitting against his own ribcage. And when she slowly began to move to get up, her softness was pressed against him in such a way he couldn't help but groan.

"Ah, are you all right? Are you hurt?"

Her questioning snapped him crashing back into reality; he sat up rather quickly, which caused her to jump back in alarm. "What just happened? Balgus?"

"It appears to be a sniper, sir," the other man gruffly reported as he stood in front of the two to shield from any other possible attacks. "Security personnel are already tracking down the culprit, but in the mean time, I believe it's best to get you out of here."

"…I agree," Van replied, nodding before turning back to the woman who looked completely bewildered by the whole thing. "Just who are you?"

"…Oh!" It was almost like he could see the gears turning in the woman's head as she stammered, "O…Meu…meu…how does it go again_…_O meu nome é…"

"I asked you in English, so why do you think I want to hear your butchered version of my native tongue?" Really, he knew he had an accent, but he didn't think it was that thick. An embarrassed blush spread over her cheeks as she frowned, immediately growing defensive. "Fine, my name is Hitomi, and considering what just happened, you could be a lot nicer."

He blinked rapidly at her retort; no one had dared talk to him in such a manner, not since his parents passed away when he was younger. It was unusually refreshing, and while he sat on the floor of an airport that contained someone who wanted him dead, covered in shards of glass, he couldn't help but let out a laugh. "Well then, _Hitomi_, tell me how does it feel to save the life of a prince?"

**A/N: Just a quick note, while this story is based on modern day Earth, for all intents and purposes, the Gaian countries (such as Fanelia, Asturia, etc) are countries on Earth as well (albeit small), in the Mediterranean Sea area. The reason is for this is I was going to assign Van and others to different actual countries, but didn't want to offend people with my lack of knowledge of said countries. As it is, I made Van's native language Portuguese (due to the fact that the anime director originally mixed Portuguese words for Gaian language), hence Hitomi trying to speak elementary Portuguese when introducing herself. **


	2. Chapter 2

**II**

Looking back on it, it all seemed like sort of dream…or nightmare for that matter. One minute Hitomi was inadvertently saving a member of royalty from death, and the next she was riding with him in the back seat of a limo, traveling to- "…Ah! Where…where are we going?"

"Hm?" The prince nonchalantly glanced over at her, not moving from his relaxed position as he leered at her skeptically. "You're just _now_ asking that? Just how naïve are you anyways?"

Instantly she fumed, though he did have a point. "T-things happened so fast! I wasn't really thinking about it!"

"Calm down. I'm taking you back home with me. You'll probably get some sort of reward and be considered a national hero, and so on..." He dismissed the whole thing with a wave of his hand, as if he found it extremely boring. That just irritated her more, and she shook her head furiously as she stared in disbelief. "What is your problem? I don't care about getting anything for saving you, I was just scared! Really scared that you would get hurt…or…or…Besides, all I want to do is go to Asturia!"

"Asturia?" he repeated, glancing over at her with a slight glimmer of interest. "Why would someone like you want to go there?"

She harrumphed loudly, just crossing her arms over her chest, her face turned up defiantly. "Do I need a reason?"

"Everyone needs a reason for why they do the things they do."

…That was surprisingly astute of him. Slowly grasping her pendant unconsciously, she thought about it before countering, "Well, I have one…but I'm not going to tell you!"

"Fine, I don't really care," he muttered, placing his chin on his hand as he returned his gaze towards the window. "Asturia is still a few hours away, and you have to pass by Fanelia to get there anyways."

"…Fanelia? Is that the name of your country?" she asked, tilting her head to the side in curiosity. He scoffed, almost sounding insulted. "How is it that you know of Asturia but not Fanelia?"

"Excuse me for not knowing every country in the world! I honestly just know of Asturia because of-…my personal reason. If you asked me, I probably wouldn't even be able to point it out on a map!"

She thought she heard him make a disparaging comment about her lack of geographical knowledge under his breath, and while it was true (it had never been in her strong point in school), it just irked her even more. "…I can't believe someone like _you_ is a prince."

That got his full attention, and he let out that same smug laugh he did at the airport, the one that made her think he wasn't all there in the head. "You do know that real life is different than fairy tales, right?"

"I know that!" Indeed, she had been thinking of the ones in the storybooks, and the fact that he had caught her caused a light blush to spread over her cheeks. "I mean, when you usually hear about princes in the news, they're friendly…and charming…and-"

"Who says I can't be all those things?" he retorted, smirking slightly. "I just have to be with the right company."

The ungrateful bastard! True, she might not be some important dignitary, but still! Did he forget what she had done? "Are you saying I'm not?"

"No, not at all," he replied with a shrug, looking her over carefully. She began to fell self-conscious about her outfit and the fact that she hadn't taken a shower since she left her hotel yesterday. "…What is it?"

"When we get there, you'll have time to 'freshen up', or whatever you women do." Hitomi opened her mouth to protest this too, that if he was implying something, he could stick it in an unmentionable place. But she realized she could really use it (at least to get the remaining glass out of her hair and clothes), but that made her think of a possible problem. "…Thank you…but…um…"

"Yes?" he asked with a heavy sigh, making her reaffirm that he had to be the rudest man in the world. She pouted, not sure if she wanted to ask him now, but she had to be prepared for what situation she was going to be faced with before she got there. "Does…does Fanelia have…running water?"

His auburn eyes narrowed, and the atmosphere in the cabin of the limo grew even more uncomfortable, if that was even possible. "Just because you haven't heard of Fanelia doesn't mean you can assume it's a third-world country. _Yes_, there is indoor plumbing, _and_ electricity _and_ phone lines. Is there anything I'm missing that you worry might inconvenience you?"

She slunk bashfully down in her seat, but really, how was she to know? The scenery they had been driving through had been mostly wooded countryside, with the sparse farm here or there that looked like it had been around before the turn of the century. The idea of finding anything remotely modern was a complete mental stretch for her, but to even mention it seemed like a touchy subject. She started to begrudgingly apologize, but was interrupted by the limo going over cobblestone streets and him announcing, "We're here."

Her eyes were instantly glued to her window as she let out a gasp; the city was filled with so many buildings nestled in closely together, cradled in the valley of the massive mountains surrounding it nearly on all sides. But instead of creating a feeling of claustrophobia, the closeness seemed to magnify the life breathing inside of it. The streets seemed to be crowded with people, whether it be in cars, bikes, or simply walking on the sidewalks. He had said that they had modern conveniences (and she wasn't about to voice her doubt again), but she felt like she had fallen back into a whimsical period of time; the architecture, clothing, food...all of it seemed like out of a history book. Despite the fact that she had never planned on coming here, she was suddenly glad she did, debating on whether or not she could stay a day or two just to explore.

As they reached the top of the hill everything seemed to rest on, her eyes couldn't help but grow wider at the sight of the castle that in the center of it all. She had never seen one besides the ones in pictures, and while it might have not been the most extravagant one ever, it was no less magnificent. It looked to be carved out of the mountain itself, immovable stone that towered over the city like a silent guardian. All of it almost seemed magical in her whole mind, though it could go back to her was again referring to fairytales.

The spell was broken however when they reached the gate and slowed down, not to enter, but because of the crowd of people and news vans blocking their way. She quickly turned to ask if this was normal, but the prince seemed like he was actually expecting it. "I should have known they would have been here already. You'll have a chance to talk to them soon enough."

Staring at the shouting and pushing mass as they somehow manage to drive past the throng and through the gates, Hitomi didn't know if she really wanted to talk to 'them', whoever they were. "Ah, I see…"

"Someone will see you to a room where you can rest and change," he instructed as they came to a stop once more, servants immediately rushing to open his door. He slid out before he turned to poke his head in. "Do want someone to carry that suitcase of yours? It seemed like you had trouble managing it."

"…I can do it! I don't need any of your help!" she protested as she quickly got out as well and headed to where the trunk was, thankful that even in all the commotion at the airport she had remembered to go back and retrieve her bags. He cocked an eyebrow at her reaction before simply nodding. "I wasn't going to carry it, but ask one of the servants to do it. But never mind then."

Damn him! He had used her own pride against her! Or perhaps it was her own fault for assuming, but one could hardly blame her for being so defensive around him. Gritting her teeth, she pulled suitcase out with one fell swoop and set it down before turning back towards him- was…was that admiration on his face? No, she must have imagined it; whatever it was, it was in an instant, replaced by that scowl he seemed to wear most of the time. He seemed to scrutinize her once more, and then started to walk away. "You should change it to something more suitable."

That took her a minute to recover from, even if she was growing accustomed to his bluntness. "Why should I care if what I wear is 'suitable' for you?"

He stopped before glancing over his shoulder. "Not for me. For my brother, the king."

* * *

What an unusual woman. That was the thought that kept repeating in Van's head over and over, zoning out anything else around him. That woman…that Hitomi…she was like one he had never met before. Most people automatically fawned over him, but whatever natural charm he had, it didn't seem to affect her. Perhaps it was because she had no idea who he was when she met him, but even then he doubted it would have mattered much to her.

She almost seemed contradictory to him; she didn't care about how she looked (at least, that was the impression he got), but on the other hand worried about water for showering. That she acted meek and shy sometimes, but could change to loud and brash in a second, especially when angered. She seemed to dislike him immensely (and he couldn't really blame her), but also didn't seem to regret risking herself to save his life.

He honestly didn't know what to think about her, but damnit, he couldn't help but be intrigued.

"Prince Van," Balgus interjected, keeping his voice low to not interfere with the conversation buzzing in the room, "I don't mean to interrupt what possible thoughts you're having about Miss Hitomi, but perhaps you can focus on the matter at hand?"

Ignoring the comment about Hitomi (he wasn't going to deny it, aware that Balgus knew him to well to even try), Van sighed and gestured to the advisors arguing with Folken, now oblivious of his presence after drilling him on what happened. "Why bother? They're probably going to make me rehearse what to say in the end anyways."

It was all politics of course; even though it was obvious that someone had tried to shoot him, they had to be careful in their wording. Apparently him just bluntly saying to the press that someone wanted him dead wouldn't be _tactful_ enough, and whatever he said had to be carefully scripted. So after going over what happened over and over (no, he had not seen who it was, nor did have any suspicion), he was left to wait off to the side as it was to be discussed with the king what should be done.

This was another instance where Van was glad it was on Folken's shoulders; if it had been his decision, he would already being lambasting the perpetrators to the press, daring them to come out and identify themselves or be labeled as weak cowards. No doubt his brashness would have backfired him, or worse, Fanelia…at least, that's what the advisors believed.

"Van," Folken suddenly interposed on his thoughts, causing him to sit up straight. "I guess you weren't paying attention, so I'll repeat myself one more time; you will change and then hold a press conference. Try to hold off speculations on who the shooter could have been or why you were targeted, but instead just focus on the fact that you're thankful to be alive and the matter is being looked into further. Is this suitable with everyone?"

There was collective agreement around the room, and satisfied that the matter at hand was handled for now, everyone began to file out of the now stuffy room. Van jumped up from his seat, glad to be finally done with the whole thing, only to be stopped by Folken's stern gaze. "You stay, Van, and close the door behind everyone."

Groaning inwardly, Van did as he was told, standing to attention by the entrance and making sure everyone left before turning back towards his brother. "What did you-"

"Thank god you're not harmed," Folken murmured, quickly crossing the distance between them with his long gait, enveloping his brother in a strong embrace. This took Van by surprise, and it took him a minute to react, pushing away awkwardly. "F-folken, stop, I'm fine…"

"…Yes, yes, of course. I apologize." Folken coughed to clear his throat, regaining his unruffled composure. "It's just that, when the news first poured in about a shooting, I thought…I never wanted you to deal with such a thing, you understand. It's a lot of pressure for you, isn't it?"

Hearing his brother talk like this kind of unnerved Van a little bit; he tried to shrug it off, shaking his head. "I can handle it. It's not like what you have to deal with it."

Folken seemed to think about this for a bit before chuckling lowly. "Indeed, you're probably right, yet right now I would hate to be in your position right now. Tell me Van, why do you think someone tried to shoot you? Speculate all you want."

He really couldn't say why, still having a hard time believing it actually happened. "…Someone despises me and is a damn coward about it?"

"Think Van," Folken replied, leaning against his desk with arms crossed across his chest. "If they were really a coward, would they have tried to do it in such a public place? Why not do it where there are no witnesses? And who could loathe you so much that they would want to kill you?"

"…I don't know! But I swear I'll find out who it is though and get answers why."

Sighing, Folken leaned over and tousled Van's hair, something he didn't like when he was younger and definitely not now. "You're not thinking diplomatically. It's obvious that someone is going after you because you're the Fanelian prince."

Van's eyes widened and he grimaced in anger at the mere thought. "…Does that mean someone might try to kill you too?"

"Possibly, though it's curious that they haven't tried yet; if I was assassinated, it's likely that the whole government would be overthrown long enough for another country to assume control. But that might be the whole point."

A little hurt at the subtle jab that Van wouldn't be able to assume the throne if Folken passed away, he tilted his head to the side, not really following what his brother was saying. "The whole point?"

"It would be a little too suspicious I would be killed before a country tried a takeover, wouldn't it? Our allies would automatically retaliate, and while there's no guarantees that they would win, that's nothing a country trying to grow really wants. However, if you were to be killed, it would be a devastating blow both to me and Fanelia, and would no doubt cause accusations to start flying."

It took him a minute to comprehend, but Van finally fearfully understood, his mouth opened wide. "…You're not saying…"

Folken smiled somberly and nodded once. "Whoever did this intended on causing a war."

**A/N:** **SORRY FOR ALL THE TALKING THIS CHAPTER, OH MY GOD. Expectmoreofitnextchaptertoo. :c  
**


	3. Chapter 3

**III**

A tomboy by nature, Hitomi hadn't packed many outfits that could be deemed feminine, deciding to go with mostly more casual wear; after all, it was much easier to travel and sightsee in a t-shirt and jeans than anything else. Thankfully had the foresight to bring at least one nice piece of clothing: a spaghetti strap sundress with a fresh floral pattern that accented the green in her eyes with a sash the same tint as her honeyed highlights. True, it wasn't anything formal or fancy, but as she finished putting on the rest of her light makeup, she felt assured she would at least make a good impression.

_A good impression? For who?_ A nagging voice in the back of her head asked, and immediately a vision of dark black hair and scowling features appeared in front of her. She quickly shook it off, scoffing in disgust, "No way! This is because I'm meeting a king, not because of stupid-"

…She…she didn't even know his name! A soft wail raised in her throat at she stared at her reflection in the mirror with a mixture of horror and incredulity. He made her introduce herself but hadn't returned the favor! She had been so shell-shocked she didn't even realize it until now.

A myriad of possible situations rushed through her head, the majority of them not pleasant to say the least; what if there was a good reason the man she saved should have been killed? …No, she didn't like the idea of killing, no matter who was involved, but what if she was in trouble now? What if he was actually someone very dangerous to be involved with and he had taken her back to his country as a hostage?

"Calm down, Hitomi," she told herself, slapping the sides of her face lightly as she grew determined, "You're overreacting; you just need find out the truth."

The problem was, she had no idea where she could find him to drill him for answers, but she wasn't about to let that stop her. Throwing open the door, Hitomi stuck her head out into the hallway and looked both ways before deciding on a direction to explore. She was going on her gut feeling, hoping it wouldn't let her down.

* * *

For the umpteenth time Van readjusted his tie, easily imaging it as a noose tightening around his neck. He wasn't comfortable in the suits he had been forced into wearing whenever he made a public appearance. He was more relaxed in a plain pair of khakis and a polo shirt, not really caring how he looked to others. But while he was indifferent to what he wore, it wasn't _proper_ for him to meet with the press in anything less than what was considered respectable. This explained why he had to change out of one damn suit for another, with a tie that seemed intent on choking him to death. Though, when considered, that wouldn't be necessarily a bad thing if it got him out of being hounded by the reporters.

"You're just making it worse, Van," Folken not so helpfully pointed out with a chuckle, stopping midstride and fixing it for his brother. "Eighteen years old, and you still don't know how to get dressed."

Van turned his face away, biting back a comment; he hated when his brother patronized him like that, but for some reason he never protested. "I just wish I could wear normal clothes."

"Be thankful it's just this and not the ceremonial robes, no?" Folken responded with an understanding smile, finishing the tie with ease. His hands didn't move however, his gaze lowering as he grew somber. "Van…after the press conference…what are you planning on doing?"

Unprepared for such a question, Van took a step back, looking at his brother curiously. "I told you, I will find out who did this. I don't know how yet, but I will."

"…Listen to me, there's others we can send out to do that, you don't have to worry and do it yourself." Folken moved his hands on his shorter brother's shoulders, gazing down at him intently. "What I want you to do to is this…leave Fanelia. Go someplace else while this whole thing cools down."

"…You want me to run away?" Van spat out, shrugging off Folken's grasp in disgust, his eyes filled with disbelief. His brother sighed as if he knew he would get this reaction. "Don't put it like that Van. Besides, when are you here anyways? It always seems like you are coming and going when you please. I think this is the longest amount of time you've been here for a long while."

That really hurt, stinging Van right to his inner core. Suddenly, all reserve he had (which was very little to begin with) snapped, and he shouted, not caring that they were in the hall where anyone could overhear. "And whose fault is that? _You're_ the one that first sent me away after Mother and Father died to live in a country far from home!"

"I had no choice, Van!" Folken countered back, his usual calm demeanor disappearing for a brief moment. "When our parents died, I was only fifteen, but I was expected to take the throne and suddenly become a figurehead of a country. I had no idea how to do that, let alone take care of my five year old brother who didn't understand what was going on. So I panicked. I wanted you to have a normal childhood; away from the politics…I'm sorry…"

Inwardly surprised at this apology but not wanting to show it, Van turned away once more, starting to walk away without answering, but a voice from behind stopped him. "…Excuse me…"

Instantly whirling around, his eyes widened as he saw it was the girl from before, Hitomi. Damnit, how much had she overheard? "…Don't you think it's kind of rude to sneak around someone's home and eavesdrop on them?"

She pouted, putting her hands on her hips, making him notice that she had changed and that she actually looked…nice. "Isn't it rude to take someone to your home without telling them, leave them alone in a room, and not even introduce yourself? Besides, I wasn't eavesdropping!"

Her angry retort snapped him out of his fascination with her appearance, but before he could respond, he heard Folken's quiet laughter. "I apologize for my brother's manners towards you, especially since I believe I would be right in assuming you're the one that saved his life, Miss…?"

Her demeanor changed, as if she had just now realized Folken was there, blushing furiously. "H-Hitomi…Ah! You're the king, aren't you? I'm sorry…is it your Majesty? Your Highness?"

"Please, just call me Folken," he responded, clearly amused by her hasty bow and confusion over titles. "There's no need for that considering I am the one that is indebted for you. You do have my eternal gratitude, and Van's as well, even if he isn't competent at showing it."

Van growled in response, but said nothing; Folken had hit the proverbial nail on the head, but he didn't want to admit it. He caught Hitomi looking over at him and mouthing his name to herself, mentally reeling on how stupid he could have been, even in his terms; he really hadn't introduced himself? He replayed the day's events in his mind, and while he remembered getting her name, he didn't remember giving his. "…It's Van…my name is Van…"

"I think she already figured that out, Van," Folken quipped, ruffling his brother's hair as he glanced sympathetically over at Hitomi, who actually laughed a little. Van glared at the two of them, more willing to show his anger than his embarrassment. It was bad enough that the fun was at his expense, but the fact that _she_ seemed to get along with his brother more, irked him slightly. _Why?_

Before he could even reply, Folken's tone grew serious again, and he bowed his head towards Hitomi remorsefully. "Also, I do apologize, Miss Hitomi, for sending you to the vultures now, so soon after you arrived."

"V-vultures?" Hitomi repeated, and it was obvious by the look on her face she was afraid Folken was being literal. Van sighed; didn't she have any sense in her head? Then again, if she did, she probably wouldn't have risked herself and he wouldn't be standing there. "The reporters. I told you that you would have a chance to talk with them soon enough. Now's your chance to answer the same damn question over and over."

* * *

The flashbulbs of cameras nearly blinding her, the multitude of voices ringing in her ears, Hitomi wondered how anyone could not be overwhelmed in the situation. But as she snuck a glance to the men sitting next to her, she was surprised to find both of them remaining calm and collected. Well, Folken was, she amended; Van was just as grim as his brother, but had an air of indifference around him, leaning back in his chair slightly in boredom.

_They're probably used to this sort of thing by now,_ she thought as she slinked down in her chair as the reporters rapidly fired questions out; some of them she caught because of the broken English, but most of them were in the region's language and completely went over her head. She had only learned a few phrases on the flight over, originally going with the plan of finding an interpreter until she got a better hang of it, but-Wait a minute, she thought she recognized the word they were repeating now…'senhorita'…that meant 'miss', right? Her suspicions were confirmed when she realized everyone was looking at her expectantly, and she upright quickly. "A-ah, yes?"

"He was just asking what made you notice the shooter in the first place," Folken murmured to her, causing her to smile gratefully for his translation before she focused on the question on hand. "Well, you know those feelings you sometimes get when something is wrong? It's sort of like that…I guess it was just fate that I looked up?"

There were murmurs among the crowd as her words were recorded as another reporter stood up, this time asking a question in rough English. "You didn't know Prince Van before, correct? And yet, you risked yourself for him, why?"

Hitomi hesitated, her eyes quickly darting over to Van. He met her gaze, but just shrugged lazily, as if he didn't know why either…or really cared. Twitching a little at that response, she turned back to the crowd and forced a smile. "I don't really know what made me do it…I wouldn't do something crazy like that again though."

There, a very subtle jab at Van, but it looked like it went over the prince's head judging by no change in his facial expression. But Folken seemed to catch the implications, as well as of a few of the reporters, causing her quickly to amend. "But I'm glad I did it though! I wouldn't…wouldn't want V-Prince Van to be hurt…or…"

She didn't have to finish, her answer appeasing everyone, and soon more questions were thrown at them. Folken stood up, holding up his hands to placate the crowd. "Please, my brother and Miss Hitomi have told you everything they know. I promise as soon as there are more details, they will be reported to the press. Thank you for your cooperation."

While there was some protest at first, the three were able to leave the room without being pursued. As soon as they were away from the group Hitomi breathed a sigh of relief. "I'm sorry…I've never done that sort of thing before."

"It's okay, Miss Hitomi," Folken replied with a light laugh, "I understand it can be a little overwhelming if you're not used to it. And no hard feelings about what you said; I probably would have said the same thing, even though Van is my brother."

"K-King Folken!" Hitomi gasped; even if he was joking, she couldn't believe he could say such a thing, and turned to gauge Van's response. But the prince just grunted, his eyes elsewhere, that lack of interest still around him. Folken smiled softly at her, his features softening with gratitude. "Van knows the truth; that I would do anything for him, but it's nice to see you be defensive for him. What are your plans now? Will you stay and visit?"

"She wants to go to Asturia-" Van started to answer Folken with an impassive voice, but Hitomi quickly interrupted him. "Actually, I wouldn't mind sightseeing the city…it looked so wonderful when we were driving here."

Van stared at her incredulously, as if he doubted the sincerity of her words, and she could understand why. But already she had grown curious about the country and the people that inhabited it, especially its royalty, and she couldn't just leave now.

"Very well then. I'm sure Van would be happy to give you a tour himself, hmm?" Folken replied, causing both Van and Hitomi to exclaim simultaneously, "What?"

"Now, don't be so shocked; it's the least he could do. Isn't that right, _Van_?" Even Hitomi could tell by Folken's tone that it wasn't really a question, and before she could protest that she would be okay, Van just nodded curtly before turning his face away again. "Fine."

She was going to have to spend more time with him…alone? Hitomi wondered if it was too late to change her mind and run away to Asturia while she still could.

**Author's Note: First off, I want to apologize for this chapter taking so long! For one thing, I moved recently and I'm still unpacking, and really haven't had much inspiration to write. I also worry that my chapters are too boring; my wonderful beta reader (les amoureux) assures me this isn't so, but yet I still have some concern. I have some of the next chapter already written up that I'm tinkering with, so hopefully that will have some more action.**


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